After days of protracted talks behind the scenes with political party leaders, including former President Gaston Tong Sang, Temaru has only operated minor changes to his 16-member cabinet and brought back onboard members of the former ruling party To Tatou Ai’a, led by Tong Sang, and a new junior party, the Iaora Te Fenua.
The new ministers named are replacing those from Flosse’s Tahoeraa Huiraatira, even though the goal was initially to try and form a cabinet as close as possible to a government of national unity.
The reshuffle came only two months after Temaru was returned as president, as a result of the resignation of then-President Tong Sang, who was otherwise facing a looming motion of no-confidence.
Under the new line-up, Temaru’s Union for Democracy party controls six portfolios, Tong Sang’s To Tatou Ai’a five, Iaora Te Fenua two and Tahoeraa Huiraatira retains two.
One Tahoeraa Huiraatira minister has been removed.
The new cabinet includes two women, Armelle Merceron of Iaora Te Fenua who remains minister for solidarity, housing, family affairs and welfare and Sylviane Teroatea of To Tatou Ai’a who becomes minister for outer islands development.
The line-up announcement had been delayed in an apparent move to mend fences with Flosse’s Tahoeraa Huiraatira.
The reshuffle came a week after a significant election of Philip Schyle as the new speaker of French Polynesia’s legislative assembly.
Schyle’s election gave substance to a new shift in alliances to form a new majority within the 57-member House and already heralded an imminent government reshuffle.
Schyle was elected with the backing of Temaru’s Union for Democracy and of MPs from the party of Tong Sang, the To Tatou Ai’a.
